If you don’t know this by now, our constant access to data is killing our productivity. Too many of us begin the day by picking up our phones and getting lost in a stream of notifications and information. Here are three things you can do to carve out more time for yourself and remain focused and effective at work:
- Start your day right. When you wake up, don’t roll over and start checking email on your phone. Try a simple mindfulness practice: Take a few deep breaths, make a mental list of the things you’re grateful for, or meditate for 20–30 minutes.
- Organize your day. Take advantage of your body’s natural rhythms. Focus on complex, creative tasks in the morning. Push meetings to the afternoon.
- Tidy up. A clean work environment leads to a less cluttered mind. Put everything in a drawer. Create folders on your computer desktop to get rid of all the random files. On your phone, keep only the 8–12 most important apps on your home screen. Turn off all unnecessary notifications.
Adapted from "The Two Things Killing Your Ability to Focus," by William Treseder
